Shloka 14

Devanagari script

वर्मिणौ बद्धनिस्त्रिंशौ श्वेताश्लौ शड्खशोभितौ । तूणीरवरसम्पन्नौ द्वावप्येती सुदर्शनी

Transliteration

varmiṇau baddha-nistriṁśau śvetāśvau śaṅkha-śobhitau | tūṇīra-vara-sampannau dvāv apy etī sudarśanī ||

Translation

അവർ ഇരുവരും കവചധാരികൾ, അരയിൽ വാൾ കെട്ടിയവർ; അവരുടെ കുതിരകൾ ശ്വേതവർണ്ണം; ശംഖങ്ങളാൽ ശോഭിതരും ഉത്തമ തൂണീരുകളാൽ സമ്പന്നരുമായ—ഇരുവരും അത്യന്തം ദർശനീയരായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• वर्मिणौ: armored (two)
• वर्मिणौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्मिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• बद्ध-निस्त्रिंशौ: having swords fastened (at the waist)
• बद्ध-निस्त्रिंशौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्धनिस्त्रिंश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• श्वेत-अश्वौ: with white horses / white-horsed (two)
• श्वेत-अश्वौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेताश्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• शङ्ख-शोभितौ: adorned with conches
• शङ्ख-शोभितौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्खशोभित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तूणीर-वर-सम्पन्नौ: endowed with excellent quivers
• तूणीर-वर-सम्पन्नौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तूणीरवरसम्पन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अपि: also/both
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• एते: these two
• एते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• सु-दर्शनी: good-looking / handsome
• सु-दर्शनी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदर्शन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• two warriors (dvau)—contextually the two opposing mahārathas
• armour (varman)
• sword (nistriṁśa)
• white horses (śvetāśva)
• conch (śaṅkha)
• quiver (tūṇīra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how war amplifies external splendour and martial preparedness while concealing the inner danger of mutual hatred and pride; ethical reflection arises from seeing equally matched heroes driven toward reciprocal destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two magnificent chariot-warriors facing battle: both armoured, sword-girt, with white horses, conches, and fine quivers—presented as visually equal and fully equipped for imminent combat.